Whitney
TLDR: Food is excellent. Service is wonderful. Welcoming atmosphere. Make a reservation. You can eat at the cafe without a membership or museum admission (tell front desk you are just dining), but the museum itself is lovely, so don’t deprive yourself on the visit.
HoMA Cafe is one of my favorite spots in Honolulu. The food is always fresh, portions are substantial, and you can choose something healthy or something a little (or quite) indulgent dependent on your mood. Marco, Heather, Kaela, Joey, Mercy, Teresa, Andrea, June, and Kenny always deliver a wonderful experience. (The staff in the kitchen must be fabulous, too, I just don’t know their names, but mahalo for consistently turning out delicious food!) If you like chocolate, don’t skip the pot de crème (no photo, must remedy on my next trip). Perfect for a peaceful solo dining experience or to meet up with friends or co-workers. Friday evenings (the only evening the cafe is open) usually feature live music, and Sunday brunch is fantastic, too. Best to make a reservation. Enjoy!
… moreLaura Rubinstein
I loved the super fresh salad that came with the vegetarian eggs Benedict. Everything was prepared to perfection. The acoustics can make it hard to hear the person at the other end of the table. Totally enjoyed the meal and the atmosphere of being surrounded by exquisite art in a nice setting. Great service. Do make reservations to guarantee you get in.
… moreJ T
Good and bad. Nice and peaceful setting for Honolulu. Service can be very slow. Food is just “okay” no matter what you get and there are not a lot of options. For convenience we’ve had lunch here quite a few times.
… moreDavid
I was surprised by how good this cafe was inside the museum. The breakfast was one of my favorite throughout my visit to Hawaii.
… moremarylou foley
A hidden jewel..We started with a peach bilini…The food is good- my favorite for lunch is the Curried Turkey salad. For dessert the fruit crisp is tasty..and the icecream topped with candied ginger bits always delightful. The staff is attentive and friendly. The garden cafe ambience is excellent.
… moreJames Ward
The Honolulu Museum of Art Cafe offers a serene atmosphere, perfect for a leisurely escape. The soft jazz music creates a soothing soundtrack, while the open-air design allows for a refreshing breeze. The air is filled with the enticing aroma of freshly brewed coffee and pastries. I particularly enjoyed my Pesto BLT. The cafe’s peaceful ambiance made it the perfect place to relax and unwind.
… moreDanielle DuCré
Everything is five-star except the price. For some of the menu items, I’m not confident that the markup is worth it.
Nevertheless, the service, taste/quality of food and beverage, and atmosphere has always been pleasant.
Other food recommendations would be the chicken sandwich. Delish and filling.
… moreAh Ing
The atmosphere is peaceful and relaxing. On this visit the service was okay. While there were plenty of servers on the floor, many were avoiding eye contact making difficult to get their attention. The kitchen practically drowned the salad in dressing instead of placing it on the side. :-/
… moreLuke L’sk
I would have never expected that one of the best meals I had is at the Honolulu Museum of Art Cafe. Filet mignon burger was the perfect portion to be shared with 2 people, the medium rare beef steak could be sufficient as the dinner for the meal.
We were lucky that we arrived at the cafe 5 to 10 minutes before the last order. You may also make a reservation ahead to ensure that you have a spot for seating.
… moreT K
We typically dine in at museum cafe / restaurant to support them. This place is definitely a hidden gem in Honolulu. We had burgers / sandwiches but they tasted much better than hotel restaurants in Waikiki. (We stayed at Hyatt, Hilton Garden inn and Hilton Hawaiian village.)
They don’t have kids menu but can prepare cheese pasta for kids and probably something else. As described at their webpage, reservation is highly recommended. We went there on Saturday and had to wait 40 minutes.
… more